University of Illinois vs. Florida International University (FIU)
- November 4-5, 2022
- Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center, Miami, FL
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Team Scores:
- University of Illinois – 229.5
- Florida International – 218.5
The FIU Panthers hosted the Illinois Fighting Illini this weekend in a two-day dual. Illinois overcame an eleven point deficit on day one, to out-score the Panthers 123-101 on day two to claim the overall win.
Illinois is now 5-1 on the season, while FIU moves to 2-2. The teams first met in 2015, and the overall series record is now tied at 2-2.
Illinois freshman Liv Dorshorst continued to lead the Illini in the distance events. In the 500, she knocked four seconds off her season best to touch the wall first at 4:53.56, moving her to #10 on the Illini’s All-Time Top 10 list. The next day she led a 1-2-3-4 Illini finish in the 1000 (10:11.01), beating out teammate Cara Bognar by over 17 seconds (10:28.21).
Isabelle Guerra and Sydney Stoll also grabbed multiple wins for the Illini. Guerra took first in the 50 free (23.74) and 100 fly (56.80), while also splitting a 22.96 anchor leg on the 2nd place 200 medley relay. Stoll took first in the 200 back (2:04.91) and 100 IM (57.85), with her 100 IM time being just off her school record of 57.37 she set earlier this season.
FIU’s top performer of the meet was Christie Chue. On day one, she captured wins in the 50 breast (29.10) and 200 breast (2:14.68). The following day, Chue contributed a 1:01.46 breaststroke split in the 400 medley relay, and went on to grab the individual event in 1:03.21.
Chue’s last win came from the final individual event of the meet, the 400 IM, where Chue narrowly out-touched Illinois’ Bognar by 0.02 for a time of 4:22.76. The two were neck and neck the entire race, but Chue came out of the breastroke leg with a slight lead that Bognar nearly overcame.
FIU’s Harliai Curthoys-Davies was another top performer, as she dominated the 100 free (51.18) to win by almost two seconds over Illinois’ Laurel Bludgen. Curthoys-Davies also won the 200 free (1:50.60) and contributed to two out of the three relays that FIU won.
Maha Gouda swept the diving events for FIU. She led a 1-2-3-4 FIU finish in platform diving on day one, then took first in both 1-meter and 3-meter the next day. Teammate Serena Buchwald took second in 1-meter and 3-meter, and third on platform.
Up next, both teams will head to their respective midseason meets. Illinois will make the trip to Iowa City for the Iowa Invitational in December, while FIU will make the trip to Purdue for the Purdue Invitational taking place mid-November.
